As the world’s population increases, key resources such as water and arable land become scarcer, and as the impacts of climate change become increasingly evident, the pressures on the world’s poor will only increase. Ensuring that they are not left behind will be one of the great challenges of our time.

KEY ISSUES

The World Bank’s World Development Indicators list country statistics on a range of issues such as prevalence of HIV and access to improved sanitation. The World Bank also has a web page focussed on monitoring, measurement and strategies for the reduction of poverty.

The Global Issues website has good summary data on world poverty and the rich/poor divide.

Eldis is an excellent site with manuals, websites, country profiles, and more.

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed to reduce global poverty, promote sustainability, and improve global health by 2015. The MDG Report 2015 states that it was the most successful anti-poverty movement in history.

Following on from the MDGs, the United Nations launched the Sustainable Development Goals. These goals represent a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity, and to strengthen universal peace. Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is recognised as being the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. For information on the 17 goals and 169 associated targets, see the SDG website.

Make Poverty History is a global anti-poverty movement that campaigns for international trade justice, improved aid, and the cancellation of poor-country debts.

Global Justice Nowis made up of local groups around the United Kingdom that campaign against the root causes of poverty and inequality.

War on Want tackles the root causes of global poverty by helping poor communities and challenging the corporations that help to create poverty.

If you are reading this you probably live in luxury compared to billions of your fellow human beings. The more resources people like us consume, the less there will be for those whose lives and wellbeing may depend on them. How wealthy do we need to be to live rich and fulfilling lives?

Does material wealth buy happiness? Two American researchers found that it does – but only when it increases social connectedness.

What exactly is wealth anyway? National and global wealth has traditionally been measured in terms of Gross National Product (GNP), which is defined as the total value of the goods and services produced by the people of a nation during a year. But market value does not necessarily reflect the true worth of something in terms of its contribution to human and ecological wellbeing. For example, catastrophes such as hurricanes and wars can increase GNP (thanks to increased spending on things like weaponry and damage repair).

The Beyond GDP Initiative aims to develop indicators that are as clear and appealing as GDP, but more inclusive of environmental and social aspects of progress.

The state government of Maryland, USA has adopted a Genuine Progress Indicator which takes account of factors such as environmental quality and volunteer work.